Civilians remaining in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky face severe food and medical shortages as evacuation efforts remain stalled.

The city of Oleshky, located on the Russian-occupied left bank of the Dnipro River, is facing a critical humanitarian crisis. Residents are struggling with a lack of food, electricity, and medical care, while ongoing military activity has made safe evacuation nearly impossible. Ukrainian officials have described the situation as a catastrophe, while Russian authorities have blamed Ukrainian forces for obstructing humanitarian aid.

Conditions in the Occupied City

Since May 2026, food deliveries to Oleshky have effectively ceased, and the city's last store reportedly closed in January 2026. Residents face a lack of basic utilities, including electricity and gas, forcing many to rely on wood-burning stoves. Medical services are severely limited, with ambulances no longer responding to calls and patients unable to reach hospitals for treatment. Movement within and around the city is extremely dangerous due to the presence of landmines and frequent drone activity. Human Rights Watch noted that both Russian and Ukrainian forces have utilized these weapons in the region, making it difficult to attribute specific hazards to either side.

Evacuation and Aid Efforts

Ukrainian military authorities recently conducted a large-scale drone operation to airdrop approximately four tonnes of food, water, and medical supplies across 100 locations in Oleshky and surrounding areas. This action followed reports that Russia had rejected requests for a ceasefire to facilitate civilian evacuations. It remains unclear how much of the aid was successfully intercepted by the Russian military. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has called for an immediate evacuation, accusing Russia of deliberately starving the remaining population. Conversely, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the critical nature of the situation but alleged that Ukrainian forces are responsible for blocking humanitarian supplies from reaching the city.